It was February 1967, four years be fore India played a pivotal role in the Bangladesh liberation war and five years after it suffered miserably during the Chinese aggression. Delhi Cantonment was not as crowded as today and the air was still nippy when two lieutenants of the Indian Army, NK Manchanda and Anju, met at the army hospital. A year later, they tied the knot and 36 years later, they retired as major generals.

From healing injured soldiers and prisoners of war to treating accident victims post retirement, they’ve served the country with their stethoscopes.Major General Anju was the first woman officer to become deputy director of medical services (now renamed MG Met) Central Command and even won a Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). Major General NK Manchanda, who lives in Bengaluru, spoke to TOI fresh on the heels of completing Anju’s autobiography, `Bold’, which was started by her but finished by Manchanda, his daughter Sonia and son-in-law Girish Raj after Anju passed away. Excerpts from the interview:

You started your careers together. Tell us about the 37 years in service.

While our spectacular career lasted more than 37 years, it was not without challenges. Of all the years we served the country , we spent only about 50% of them together. It was difficult when we had to go to different places. At one point of time, we were separated for five years -she was posted in Rajouri (Jammu & Kashmir), while I was in Hyderabad. But our careers were fulfilling, both in terms of the service we offered and the top positions we reached, which was also very rewarding

Both of you saw two important wars -1971and Kargil in 1999. Can you recollect your experience?

During Kargil, both of us were in Delhi. I was with the army headquarters and she was posted at the Army R&R Hospital, which got all the casualties. During the 1971 war, we were both very young. I had gone through Tripura to Bangladesh as a regimental medical officer, while she was posted in Delhi. But she was the doctor who accompanied Pakistani prisoners of war on a flight and brought back our own. We worked together, rose together and retired together -March 2004 and May 2004 (Anju).

Your service didn’t end with the army. Tell us more…

For one year after retirement, we did nothing. We didn’t want to be separated again. But at the behest of former defence minister George Fernandes, we were requested to serve at Mallya and Vydehi hospitals. I joined Mallya.While I worked only for a year, she continued to work until she passed away. She even did a lot of other things apart from helping the hospital. She was a dedicated doctor, and one of a kind.

Tell us about ‘Bold’ and how the idea of writing an autobiography came to Anju’s mind.

It was her idea, and she had started writing it after we completed service. But she was a doctor first, which meant that her job after retirement became her priority and the book remained incomplete. She said she would finish it only after she quits her job, but she passed away before that.And we couldn’t let such a story, which we hope will inspire many more young women officers in the army, remain untold. ‘Bold’ is not just a mirror of Anju’s illustrious record of selflessness, but also a portrait of the life of honour in the Indian Army.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City News> Bangalore News / TNN / September 27th, 2017

Historians say the discovery refers to Alupa ruler Kulashekara and his liegeman

A 900-year-old inscription was discovered at Polali Rajarajeshwari temple located on the outskirts of Mangaluru.

It was found during the ongoing renovation works of the temple. Moodabidri-based historian Dr Pundikai Ganapayya Bhat, who examined the inscription, said: “It is a 900-year-old Kannada inscription that was found on the left of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. It was used as a pedestal for the Nityabhisheka (daily worship) of the idol. It has a mention about Alupa ruler Kulashekara and his liegeman Biliveya Nambi.”

The inscription, 38 inches tall and 24 inch wide, has 20 lines of writing. Sculptures of two lions and a man along with a lady sitting between these lions are seen on the lower part of the inscription. A few scriptures in between have been damaged. It dates back to 1117 AD. Ganapayya said that the 14th line mentions Pandya Pattiga Deva which could be the title of the ruler — Kulashekara.

It has a mention of Alvakheda 6000, which means that the region was ruled by the Alupas. Three Veeragallus were also found. Dr B Rajashekarappa, a researcher from Chitradurga, has helped in understanding the inscription. The Alupas are a royal dynasty that ruled Tulunadu from 4th to 15th century. Kulashekaradeva was one of the prominent rulers of Alupa dynasty.

A brief history of Alupas

The Alupa of Tuluva race was a royal dynasty which ruled their native land, Tulunadu, which is now in coastal Karnataka. They independently ruled their kingdom, known as Alvakheda, since the beginning of the common era. Later, with the dominance of Kadambas from Banavasi, they became feudatory to them. With the changing political scenario, soon they became the vassals of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara Rayas.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> News> State / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / September 20th, 2017

Experts at Intach-CKP help treat artwork affected by the high humidity in air

For automobile mechanics, plumbers and doctors, monsoon is a busy time. In the city, however, there is a set of other specialists too, who get busy during this time in particular – working away at rain damage control for pieces of art.

When there is moisture in the air, fungus crops up in old paintings, murals, heirloom clothes and antique furniture. Art experts at Intach- Chitrakala Parishath Art Conservation Centre (ICKPAC) in Bengaluru are busy this time of the year with conservation and restoration work.

The centre with a small team of around 10, housed in Chitrakala Parishath premises, has its hands full with rain treatment as a good chunk of Bengalureans are art connoisseurs and possess a variety of heritage and heirloom articles, most of which could have been handed down over generations.

The little-known centre had earlier handled prestigious restoration projects, including the Velankani Church, Vidhana Soudha paintings and art pieces at Puttaparthi Sai Baba ashram. “Bengaluru’s weather is such that a lot of moisture is in the air during monsoon. This allows growth of fungus in paintings, furniture, clothes and art objects, which need to be treated. Treating is not a permanent solution but we can call it remedial conservation or preventive conservation. We have a team that has specialised in art conservation and we take up such work. It is highly niche work. People come to us with their old paintings, clothes, wooden work, murals and different kinds of art pieces, which we treat for fungus,’’ Madhu Rani, director of Intach Chitrakala Parishath Art Conservation Centre, told Bangalore Mirror.

The centre has done work not just in the state, but it also takes up work commissioned by other parts of South India. Their earlier work of restoring 300-year-old murals in Thiagarajaswamy temple, Tiruvarur, was a landmark project. These paintings go back to the Nayaka period and are on the ceiling of the thousand-pillared hall in Thiagarajaswami Temple premises. Conservation of mural paintings in Nalaknadu Palace, Kodaganadu, restoration of Mother Mary altar at Velankani church, are also noteworthy. The centre is carrying out restoration of the collections in Puttaparthi Sai Baba ashram — old European paintings gifted by Maharajas of Jamnagar.

“We are documenting all wall painting sites in Karnataka at palaces, temples or old houses. We have the inventory of such sites and are documenting the status of the paintings,’’ Rani said.

OPEN FOR ALL

On Saturday morning, a Parichay will be organised to introduce people to ICKPAC’s works — conservation of paintings, documents, temple murals and oil paintings. This will be led by Madhu Rani and her team. Rani will talk about how you can preserve your great-grandmother’s photograph, or that treasured letter written by your grandfather. Or may be a book that has been handed down generations. The Parichay will be held at Chitrakala Parishath and will be for about two hours. Those interested can mail intach.blr@gmail.com and the event comes with a nominal fee.

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com / Bangaloremirror.com / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Kushala Satyanarayana / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / September 20th, 2017